CHURCH OF BEZANNES IN 1914
Those interested in things pre-historic, may visit the Pistat Collection at Bezannes, which contains a great number of interesting specimens belonging to the stone and neolithic ages, and to the Gallic and Roman periods of the region.
Of the old castles of Bezannes, nothing of interest remains.
On September 11, 1914, during the Battle of the Marne, the German Staff took up their quarters in the house of M. Poullot. On the 12th, the battle attained the vicinity of the village.
Skirt the church, and at the cross-roads at the end of the village, keep straight on, past the cemetery on the right.
The road climbs a small hill lined with trenches, then descends to the village of Les Mesneux.
At the entrance to this village (which is of no particular interest) turn to the right, and at the fork about fifty yards farther on, to the left, leaving the unmetalled road on the right.
About half-a-mile from Les Mesneux and shortly before reaching the crossing with the road to Rheims (G. C. 6), there is a small wood at the place called Le Champ Clairon. It was from here that German batteries under Colonel von Roeder fired on Rheims on September 4, 1914, in spite of the protestations of the Mayor of Les Mesneux, who assured the German commander that the French troops had completely evacuated the town.